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Salakjit Ponsana

Salakjit is Boonsak Ponsana's (usually spelt Polsana) younger sister who is a second year law student at the Sri Patum University, Bangkok. She is also Thailand's first singles player and we have the opportunity to see her in action at the recent Cheers Asian Satellite Badminton Championships in Singapore, where she almost beat Li Li of Singapore. Salakjit is probably 20 years old since her more illustrious brother, Boonsak is 22 and a fourth-year law undergrad. She is a player to watch in this part of the world.

Below is a report by Tan Yo-Hinn of Today, who interviewed Salakjit to reveal more about herself and for her views on his elder brother and on her own playing future.

Boonsak Ponsana is regarded as a national sporting hero in Thailand. The world No 17 just missed out on becoming the first Thai to win a medal in badminton, at the Athens Olympics, when he finished fourth.
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Singaporeans will, of course, remember the Thai as the player who knocked Ronald Susilo — the world No 9 — out of the Games in the quarter-finals.
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To one person at least, Boonsak, 22, is anything but a hero.
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Top Thai women's shuttler Salakjit Ponsana says her compatriot is a terrible badminton player.
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Of course, Salakjit is Boonsak's younger sister and just loves to tease her brother.
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"I never praise Boonsak, even though he is a very good player," Salakjit, the world No 28, said.
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The Thai No 1 was in town recently for the Cheers Asian Satellite Badminton Championship, where she lost to Singapore's Li Li in the women's singles final.
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"I always tease Boonsak. I tell him he is a very lousy player," joked Salakjit, in fluent Mandarin, a language she first picked up during a six-month training stint in Fuzhou, China, when she was 12.
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As for her brother's Olympic adventure, she said: "He told me that he played without any fear in Athens and just played his heart out in every match.
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"It was probably why he beat (Singapore No 1 Ronald) Susilo in the last eight."
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Like her brother, Salakjit shares a similar carefree and laid-back approach to life.
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Just minutes after narrowly losing 2-1 (11-6, 6-11, 11-9) to Li in a rubber set tie-breaker, the 20-year-old quickly put aside the disappointment as she spoke about life outside of badminton.
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Currently a second year law undergraduate at the Sri Patum University in Bangkok, where brother Boonsak is in his fourth year, Salakjit says she enjoys life as a student-athlete.
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Six days a week, she commutes with team-mates Aroonkesorn Duanganong and Voravichitchaikul Kunchala between campus and the national training centre, located in Bangkok's Lumpinee Park district.
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"I have no problems juggling my studies and training," said Salakjit.
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"The university has been very kind to me by providing one-to-one tuition for me.
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"It is very flexible as I don't have to attend lectures and tutorials like the rest of the students."
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Salakjit has yet to confirm her participation in the Singapore Open (Nov 15-21), but she does know what her ultimate career goal is.
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"I intend to pursue a career in law," she said.
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"But I'd still play badminton for some time, of course."
But don't worry Susilo, Salakjit's only kidding